Homes reportedly swept away as Hurricane Lala triggers flash flood emergency on Hawaii Island

News admin August 16, 2026 0 Comments

Homes reportedly swept away as Hurricane Lala triggers flash flood emergency on Hawaii Island

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two homes were reportedly swept away in Naalehu after torrential rainfall from Hurricane Lala triggered a flash flood emergency Saturday night in the Kau District of Hawaii Island.

‘Particularly dangerous situation’

Local law enforcement reported the incident at 9:53 p.m. Saturday, according to a National Weather Service alert. Rain was falling at an extreme rate of 3 to 5 inches per hour, and flash flooding remained ongoing as additional heavy rain bands were expected over the next several hours.

Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said Hawaii County Civil Defense initiated a joint search-and-rescue mission utilizing county, Hawaii National Guard and Coast Guard resources.

“What makes this very challenging is there’s rushing water, debris, and there’s boulders on the road, and it’s dark,” he said in a video posted to social media.

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A post shared by Dr. Kimo Alameda (@himayorkimo)

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency for the area, calling it “a particularly dangerous situation,” and urged residents to seek higher ground.

Locations impacted by the alert included Wood Valley, Pahala, Punaluu Beach, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kawa Flats, Volcano, Naalehu, Glenwood, Hawaiian Ocean View, Mountain View and Waiohinu.

Extended power outages

More than 63,000 customers experiencing power outages — including the entire east and south sides, Waimea, and Honokaa — experienced overnight outages as wind gusts near 90 mph battered the area.

Restoration work was halted for safety. Hawaiian Electric said crews were instructed to stay off the roads by Hawaii County Civil Defense due to dangerous road hazards, like flooding and downed trees.

More information about where thepoweroutages are in effect.

Essential Needs Only Notice has been issued for all Dept. of Water Supply customers due to the adverse storm conditions, which are causing power outages islandwide. Essential needs are for drinking, cooking, or personal hygiene only.

Click here for the updated HECO outage map.

Winds batter Waimea, Pahala

In Waimea, heavy downpours filled up Waimea Stream and wind gusts whipped throughout the area, even blowing the roof off a house on Hohola Street. It ended up in a neighbor’s yard across the street.

High winds also started to blow off the corrugated roof of a home in Pahala. Family members and neighbors unsuccessfully tried to remove it with a large water hose, bamboo pole, and mango picker.

Police eventually told them to go back inside for safety purposes.

Impacts began Saturday morning

Hawaii Island began to feel the impacts of Hurricane Lala on Saturday morning, bringing high winds, heavy rain, and localized flooding.

“We haven’t seen the worst of it. This is just the beginning,” Hawaii County Mayor Kimo Alameda said Saturday morning from the Emergency Operations Center.

Emergency response and shelters

Mayor Alameda reported that emergency teams have been tracking the storm overnight and remain highly vigilant.

To ensure safety across the entire island, Hawaii County has taken the proactive step of opening emergency shelters in all nine districts.

You can find direct directions and details for the three main shelters here: Hawaii County,Maui, andOahu.

HNN’s Mahealani Richardson 1 p.m. update on Hawaii Island:

Traffic alerts and road closures

High winds and heavy rain have triggered multiple road closures, and residents are urged to stay off the roads. New closures have been reported on scenic routes:

County suspensions and closures

To keep residents safe and off the roads, the county has implemented several service suspensions:

For the latest island closures in your area, check our ongoing list here.

“If we can dodge this bullet, it’ll be a huge blessing,” Alameda said, urging residents to stay vigilant. “This storm is far from over. We’ll find out more in about five to 10 hours.”